The Newells chose the water room for their picnic today. Dustin had been complaining lately (as often he did) that the Gardens were too full of allergens and things. Dustin had no real allergies, but it was difficult enough to get him to do anything outdoors, so Florence was willing to compromise. Brett was just as pleased with either, anyway; the Gardens were fun to get lost in, but here he could swim if he felt so inclined. And Dustin compromised on it because at least this outdoor environment was one subject to their approval. He could mentally request no pollinating plants be about.

Even with their elder cousin Makenzie graduated, the siblings had continued this picnicking practice. It was good for a family to get together every so often and discuss things, even if it did frequently result in bickering among the boys. Okay, yes, sometimes she also bickered with Dustin, but he was just so bicker-able. Florence imagined that there would be more peace next year, when Dustin was replaced by Anastasia. She would miss her older brother - although she was uncertain that Brett shared those sentiments, really - but it would be a nice change to have their baby sister among them. Plus, it would leave Flo as the oldest and therefore the de facto leader, and, if truth be told, she was far better at it than Dustin, anyway.

“So,” the oldest asked, adjusting his posture on the blanket. It was soft and red, an excellent barrier between their bodies and the hard ground, almost enough to allow Dustin to forget that he was outdoors. Well, fake outdoors. It was complex. “Brett, have you thought about the ball yet? Do you know who you’ll be asking?”

Brett, still deep in the occasion’s meal, coughed and sputtered slightly, narrowly avoiding choking. “Well, I-I… I guess I’ve thought about it, maybe. But I don’t know.” He had been thinking about asking Eden Manger, his yearmate in Teppenpaw. He liked her long blonde hair, and she was really, really good at Quidditch, but he was pretty sure Dustin wouldn’t like that answer. Her family was apparently complicated, which, like, so was theirs, but Dustin was still dead set on making improvements to their family name, and Eden wouldn’t help that, and Dustin was a big ol’ dramatic crybaby hypocrite.

“I think I know who I may ask,” Florence chirped.

“What? No!” Dustin retorted immediately, turning his attention to his sister. “You don’t ask someone. A boy is supposed to ask you.” Last time around, he had been fool enough to allow a girl to ask him, and while admittedly it was the girl he was thinking about asking - or one of them, anyway - it hadn’t been an exceptionally good decision on his part, and he wanted better for the family and for himself this time around.

“But then what if nobody asks me?” Flo posed, folding her arms across her chest.

“Then you’re an embarrassment to me,” her older brother huffed. Brett kicked him, and he cried out weakly, more in surprise than pain as the seated position did not lend itself to much power. Dustin appeared completely affronted, but Flo did little to hide her giggle, smiling at her younger brother. Brett always had her back.

“If you’re such an expert,” Florence suggested a moment later, “Who are you taking to the ball? Have you decided on a date?”

The girl rolled her eyes. “Whatever. We all know girls are pretty much all the same to you, so just pick one and ask her so she can say no and get it over with.”

“Whomever I ask is not going to say no!” Dustin defended.

Neither he nor Florence noticed another person enter the room, but before they could presumably turn to leave upon noticing the room being occupied, Brett waved them over. “Hey, wanna come settle something for us?” he called. “We’re trying to decide if any girl would actually want to go out with my brother.”

Ingrid made her way to the MARS water room. She liked to alternate her climbing sessions with swims. Swimming was good exercise that worked all kinds of muscles, but it was also a chance to relax her ... more